If I stay calm outwardly (even if I'm panicking internally), it seems to reassure him and actually helps me calm down too. Also, talking openly afterward about what happened—without making it sou...
Mindfulness can definitely help, but I'd also add that kids' reactions vary a lot. Some children actually anticipate pain quite strongly, especially if they've had previous dental visits that didn't go smoothly. It's great your son stayed curious, but not every kid responds that way...
Mindfulness is helpful, but honestly, prepping kids beforehand can make a huge difference too. I've seen kids who were terrified at first totally relax after we explained the steps and let them ask questions... sometimes knowledge really is power for them.
Totally agree that prepping helps, but what about when there's no time to explain? Had to rush my daughter once after she chipped a tooth at soccer practice. No chance for prep talk or mindfulness then... just straight panic mode. Surprisingly, the dentist was great—calmly explained everything as he went along, and she relaxed pretty quickly. Maybe sometimes it's more about how the dentist handles it in the moment rather than prep beforehand?
Been there... sort of. I don't have kids, but reading your post brought back memories of my own dentist freakout. A couple years ago, I chipped a tooth biting into a granola bar (healthy snack betrayal, anyone?). Zero prep time, zero calm, straight-up panic city.
Anyway, rushed to the dentist, heart racing, thinking I'd need some terrifying procedure. But the dentist was just super chill and explained everything step by step—kinda like narrating a cooking show, but for teeth. Weirdly calming. By the end, I almost forgot why I'd panicked so much in the first place.
So yeah, totally agree—sometimes it's less about prepping and more about having someone who knows how to handle the chaos when it hits. Good dentists are basically anxiety whisperers, right?
Your dentist sounds like a gem—love the cooking show analogy, haha. Had a similar experience myself when I cracked a crown on popcorn (another snack betrayal!). I was convinced it'd be a huge ordeal, but my dentist just calmly talked me through it, step by step. It's amazing how much difference a calm, reassuring presence makes when you're in panic mode... definitely agree they're anxiety whisperers in disguise.
